Best Pergola

(Image credit: Amazon)

published 20 August 2020

A pergola is a structure that provides a shaded area to sit under. Traditionally it attaches to your home or sits very close to give the allusion of being attached to it, though it’s becoming more popular to place them further into a garden like a gazebo. However, unlike a gazebo that is round, enclosed, and has a pitched and enclosed roof, pergolas are square-shaped with flat, slatted roofs. Pergolas also don’t have any type of structured walls to allow breezes to blow through. And while you can plant climbing vines around a pergola, this is usually reserved for arbors set over a walkway. Here are some of the best pergolas available that are easy to assemble and install on your own.

Best overall

Best Choice Products 10x10 ft Patio Pergola

Includes a canopy for shade

This pergola is made from heavy-duty steel and comes with sixteen steel stakes to bolt it to the ground. The sturdy poles hold five beams and give you plenty of space underneath to fit an outdoor dining set or several pieces of outside furniture. The Best Choice Products pergola includes a canvas canopy that is weatherproof and hangs from the beams. The canopy can be moved out of the way to allow more sunlight in or to give you a view of the stars at night.

Best cedar pergola

Backyard Discovery 12x10 ft Cedar Pergola

Tall, majestic and beautiful

This wood pergola is beautiful and has over 6.5 feet of headroom underneath. It’s made from cedar wood that has been treated to withstand the weather, resist rot and mold, and last a long time. The thick posts hold up several beams and cross beams that give you more depth and detail in the overall design, along with more stability and shade. The bottom of each post has a resin foot that can be attached to concrete using the included anchors. These anchors, along with each foot, can be covered with the included coverings.

Best steel pergola

Sunjoy Maverick 10x12 ft Steel Pergola

Control incoming traffic

The Maverick pergola is pretty big - 10 feet by 12 feet - and made from steel. The back of this pergola has beams placed between to poles to create a slatted wall. This isn’t typical of a pergola which typically has all sides open, but this does give you a place to hang decorations or control the flow of traffic in and out of the pergola. The frame is coated with a black finish with a wood grain pattern. It comes with a while shade that hangs over the top beams and drapes down the sides.

Best compact pergola

ALEKO Pergsand 9x9 ft Trellis Pergola

A small solution

The Pergsand by ALEKO is a bit smaller than other pergola measuring 9 feet by 9 feet. Each of its four posts is 3 inches wide and made from a combination of aluminum and steel metals with a sand finish, though it is available in burgundy and white, too. The pergola can be bolted to the ground or to a concrete patio. It comes with a retractable canopy that hangs from the rafter beams and gives you shade in the hot sun or a way to keep the rain off while still enjoying the outdoors.

Bottom line

The Best Choice Products patio pergola is a good one to start with. It’s made from steel and can be anchored to the ground or a cement patio. It’s easy to assemble and comes with a canopy that provides a little shade. The Best Choice Products pergola is very simple in design, so it won’t detract from your garden or yard while still being functional.

For something more traditional, check out the cedar pergola by Backyard Discovery. This pergola has extra beams and supports that give the overall look more definition and design. It has anchors to secure the pergola to concrete or in the garden and has resin feet and coverings to hide the anchors. This cedar pergola doesn’t come with a canopy, but one can be added later.

Nikki writes for multiple Future Publishing brands covering topics from antivirus to kitchen appliances to SAS. She has over 15 years of research and writing experience, including eight years of testing and reviewing consumer products. Nikki earned bachelor’s degrees in both English and Political Science with a focus on empirical research. In her spare time, Nikki serves as a member of several school councils and volunteers for a local arts board.

Best Pergola